On Thursday, thousands of members of the Sanitas Trade Union from
all over Romania gathered in Victoria Square, in front of the government
building in Bucharest, to protest against a piece of legislation regulating
payment in the healthcare system. The protesters were carrying banners and
placards and were blowing whistles to convey their message of discontent they
had already expressed before through several spontaneous rallies but which
failed to yield the desired result. We recall the talks the authorities held
with union representatives and hospital managers ended in a deadlock.
Trade union representatives are angry at the authorities’ lack of
flexibility during the numerous round of talks in which they made known the
employees’ discontent and fears regarding their shrinking incomes. Protesters
have also denounced the authorities’ for what they say is an attempt to
obstinately prove the new regulations are good in spite of reality showing
otherwise as well as the manipulative way in which the authorities are trying
to blame trade unions for the situation in the healthcare system. According to
trade unionists, the government is breaking the law as well as the elementary
rules of social dialogue. The protesters have signaled the sharp drops in their
incomes after the application of the new pay regulations and call for the elimination
of a cap on benefits, which, under the new legislation, cannot exceed 30% of
the salary.
According to Leonard Barascu, the president of the Sanitas
Federation, Deputy Prime Minister Viorel Stefan has pledged that, as of May, no
medical employee will receive less money:
We are going to be briefed on all the decisions made by the
managers in the committee set up by Prime Minister Dancila and on the talks
they had with our representatives. We’ll make an assessment on May 2nd
in a bid to find solutions in order to get law 153 amended.
Although the authorities have pledged to find solutions, trade
unionists have announced fresh protests. In their opinion, no solution can be
found without amendments to the pay law, which they have denounced in their protests
in front of the Romanian government. On the other hand, Health Minister Sorina
Pintea has again said that protests aren’t a solution, recalling that hospital
managers can solve the issue with good management. In turn, Labour Minister Lia
Olguta Vasilescu has told a TV station that the pay law will not be amended
because the problem was caused by the cap on benefits. The Romanian official
has added that talks on the benefit regulation are presently being held with
the hospital managers who proved efficient in handling the issue.